Chingwizi villagers flee into mountains

By Godfrey Mtimba

CHINGWIZI – Thousands of Tokwe-Mukorsi villagers are now living in the bush after they deserted Chingwizi holding camp following violent clashes with the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).

ZNA deployed soldiers at Chingwizi on Sunday, who reportedly beat up villagers before destroying their tents following violent skirmishes with the police last week.

Villagers protested against government plans to move a local clinic from the camp to new plots they have rejected. They are demanding compensation for lost property.

In February, government relocated 3 000 families from the flooded Tokwe-Mukorsi dam basin to a camp on a sugar cane farm.

Armed police last week visited the camp in an unsuccessful attempt to get the displaced families to accept relocation without compensation to one-hectare plots, where they have been told they must grow sugar cane or lose food aid.

The relocation was vigorously resisted.

The protest saw the villagers overpowering anti-riot police officers, disarming them and setting alight their two vehicles, forcing government to rope in the army  from Masvingo’s 4 Brigade.

The soldiers ransacked the camp and assaulted villagers.

The relocated villagers have since deserted the camp.

“Chingwizi was turned into a war zone after the military operation and we had to run away from the camp with our families,” said Tonderai Magaya, a villager at the camp.

“We feared for our lives because of the ruthlessness of the operation. We are now living in the open in the nearby bush.”

The villagers said they were facing dangers of being attacked by wild animals in the bush. Chingwizi is located in the jungle.

Others said they were starving as they failed to collect food to feed their families.

“We are freezing in the open as the whole camp has been sealed off by soldiers,” said another villager who declined to be named. “We are afraid to go back because they will beat us up. “We are also facing starvation since we did not have the time to collect our food,” she added.

The villagers also said they lost property and food worth thousands of dollars when their tents were destroyed.

The military operation has seen over 300 villagers being arrested for rising against government and burning two police vehicles.

Human rights defenders have castigated the operation by government labelling it “barbaric.”

“How can government victimise the victims?” said Arnold Muguti, programmes director of Young for Zimbabweans Socio Economic Freedom (YZEF).

“These people have suffered enough and sending police and soldiers to force them out against their will is gross violation of human rights. The operation is barbaric and should be condemned by everyone,”

Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti was unavailable for comment.

Government is failing to raise $9 million to compensate the villagers who have been staying under cramped conditions at the camp since February. Daily News